How To Create An Electric Arc

3 Answers 3

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A module like this might be of use. They can step up the voltage from 3v (two AA batteries) to a high voltage that can create small arcs that will ionize the air. Just search ebay for "high voltage converter".

answered Oct 27 '16 at 23:49

circuitbirdcircuitbird

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\$\begingroup\$ One could also use backlight inverters as used for the CCFL screens of older TFTs and notebook computers. The advantage is the high voltage is also high frequency, which makes it somewhat safer to handle (no way muscles/heart can shudder with it, so touching it will be painful because of local burning but not lethal.) \$\endgroup\$

Oct 28 '16 at 0:51
\$\begingroup\$ Besides being dishonest (not 400 kilovolts!) those modules are DC output. Their sparks are nothing like a silent corona or flame-arc. More like a repeated camera flash. \$\endgroup\$

Jan 26 '17 at 5:39
\$\begingroup\$ infact they are very much like a stun gun \$\endgroup\$

Aug 27 '17 at 22:39

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All you need is to make an electro-mechanical buzzer, like this one, and add a secondary winding over the top of primary coil. You might need to experiment with quality of isolation, to avoid self breakdown in the secondary coil, something like sectional winding. And make sure you don't kill yourself by using too strong batteries.

And the typical breakdown voltage under usual humidity conditions (30-40%) of the air is about 10kV/cm.

answered Oct 27 '16 at 21:08

Ale..chenskiAle..chenski

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\$\begingroup\$ Can I just connect this with a 1.5V aa battery? \$\endgroup\$

Oct 27 '16 at 21:14
\$\begingroup\$ @Ryan - No. Simply no. 1.5 volts will not support a visible arc unless you provide extremely high current, like an arc welder does. And if you do that, you need an active system to keep the electrodes at just the right spacing as the arc erodes one and builds up the other. \$\endgroup\$

Oct 27 '16 at 21:18
\$\begingroup\$ Yes you can, but the linked buzzer is a 24V device. To use a 1.5V battery you will need to re-wind the primary coil with quite thicker magnet wire. And your secondary coil will need to have a bigger winding ratio to get into 10-kV output range. But the AA battery will give you a safer device. \$\endgroup\$

Oct 27 '16 at 21:55
\$\begingroup\$ 700kV from a cheap, handheld device is a ridiculous claim. When you go anywhere beyond 5000V, insulation becomes crucial and this places a lower limit on the size of the arrangement, and/or the materials used. \$\endgroup\$

Oct 28 '16 at 0:57

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answered Jan 26 '17 at 6:27

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